Polyesters stabilized with 1-arylazo-naphthol sulfonic acids



Patented Aug. 19, 1952 POLYESTERS STABIljIZED WITH l-ARYL- AZO-NAPHTHOL SULFONIC Aoros Thomas F. Anderson, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio I Nb Drawing. Application August 27, 1949,

Serial No. 112,837. V

The invention relates to stabilized thermosetting compositions, and more particularly to stabilized thermo'setting compositions containing a polymerizable unsaturated alkyd resin.

A polymerizable unsaturated alkyd resin (i. e.,

fused condition, the failure of other'heat-hardenable compositions to reach a fused state below their hardening temperatures is a great handicap in fabricating operations. By the time a urea-formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde composition has reached a fused state in a fabricating operation, its hardening already has begun, so that the hardening interferes with the shaping or molding of the composition.

A saturated heathardenable'alkyd resin, such as glycerol phthalate, hardened by esterification with elimination of water. An alkyd resin that is hardened by esterification cannot be employed to make a molded article or other solid body, because it is too difficult to remove Water from the interior of such a solid body in order to complete the hardening. Even urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde compositions tend to give off small amounts of volatiles as they are hardened in a mold. In contrast, apolymerizable unsaturatedpolyester hardens by'polymerization Without evolution of volatiles.

These important-advantages have made polymerizable unsaturated polyesters of great commercial value;' nevertheless the commercialization of such polyesters has been seriously impeded by the fact that such polyesters lack stability after the addition of the polymerization catalyst that is necessary to cause polymerization to take place. In the manufacture of commercial products from such polyesters, polymerization inthe presence :of a polymerization catalyst ordinarily is carried out at an elevated temperature in order to cause the. polymerization to take place rapidly. After the addition of a polymerization catalyst to such a polyester, however, polymerization proceeds slowly 'at atmos:

. 9 Claims. (01. 260 454) pheric temperatures. The rate of polymerization at atmospheric temperatures after the incorporation of a polymerization catalyst is rapid enough so that in a few days the polyester may become'a substantially infusible, worthless mass that cannot be formed into any useful product.

The useful life of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester after incorporation of a polymerization catalyst is so short that it does not afford sufficient time for a manufacturer to ship the catalyst-containing polyester to a user. For that reason it has been the invariable practice heretofore for the manufacturer of'a polymerizable unsaturated polyester to ship the polyester without incorporating the polymerization catalyst, so that it has been necessary for the user of the polyester to add the required proportion of the catalyst just before the polyester is used. The minute proportion of a polymerization catalyst required for a small batch of the material must be weighed out veryaccurately,'then incorporated very uniformly throughout the batch. Uniform incorporation-of a catalyst in a solid material such as a molding composition is a particularly difiicult'operation and requires very expensive equipment. The relatively great expense of incorporating the catalyst in a solid material has had the effect of prohibiting the use of molding compositions containing polymerizable polyesters.

The principal object of the invention is the stabilization of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester containing a polymerization catalyst. More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the following description, which illustrates and discloses but is not intended to limit the scope of-the invention.

Since a stabilized thermosetting composition embodying the invention does not require the incorporation of a catalyst by the user, it can be used by small fabricators who havebeen unable heretofore to make use of polymerizable unsaturated polyesters, and can be used more economically by large fabricators thana material requiring the addition of a catalyst by the user; Certain inhibitors? for the polymerization of unsaturated polyesters are known. It has been found, however, that the addition of such an inhibitor to a mixture of a polymerizable un-' saturated polyester and a polymerization catalyst has no better effect than thbmission ofpart of the polymerization catalyst from .the mixture. The addition of such an inhibitor not only retards the polymerization of the mixture at atmospheric temperatures to the same extent as the tion of the polymerization catalyst had been omitted. These inhibitors are of novalue for the purpose of stabilization, becauseit is useless to add an inhibitor when exactly. the same effect:

can be obtained by omitting part of the polymerization catalyst. :3 1 n r The present invention is based upon the discovery that a certain type of substance, in con-' junction with oxygen, produces upon a mixture inafter as a stabilizer to distinguish it from an ordinary inhibitor. e v

The stabilizing effect upon a mixture of a polymerizable unsaturated'polyester and a polymerization catalyst that'is produced in the practice of the present invention is the combined effect of oxygen and a stabilizer; Suchstabilizing eiiect cannot be produced by the stabi-.

lizer alone or by oxygen alone. I

In order to produce the stabilizing effect in the practice of the invention a polymeriza'ble unsaturated polyester, a polymerization catalyst and a stabilizer of the invention are carried on a filler in contact with air. A polymerizable unsaturated polyester is normally a liquid,--but in a material properly prepared from a filler and a composition consisting principallyof such a polyester, the polyester composition is carried on the filler in contact with air. NVhen the resulting material. contains a stabilizer of the present invention in addition to a polymerization catalyst, it is stable by reason of the combined action of the stabilizer and the oxygen of the "air;

Thus, a composition of the invention comprises a polymerizable unsaturated polyester, a -polymerization catalyst and a stabilizer, carried on a filler in contact with air. Preferablythe composition also contains a polymerizable unsatu another and that the better properties of finished articles produced from a composition-containing a polymerizable unsaturated-monomeric compound are due tothe superior curability-of such a composition. The monomeric compound is believed'to impart better curability tOtbQCOITlposition because of its abilityto cross'linkthe unsaturated polyester molecules by copolymerizing with such molecules.

In the practice of the present invention, the proportions of the polyester, the monomeric'compound (if any) i and the filler are such and the physical form of the composition is such that have been retarded by the filler carries the other ingredients of the composition in contact with air.

Thus, a composition embodying the invention may be carried on a filler in contact with air if the remaining ingredients of the composition form a liquid having a. viscosity low enough so that it can be absorbed by the filler and if the proportion of the filler is suflicient to absorb all of such liquid. The physical form of the composition then is the same as the physical form of the filler and the filler absorbs the liquid containingthe remaining ingredients of the composition and thus carries such ingredients in contact with air. However, such a composition, consisting of a filler in which a liquid containing the remaining ingredients of the composition is absorbed, is inconvenient to use and would not ordinarily be employed in commercial practice. When an attempt is made to produce articles from such a composition by ordinary molding procedures, the liquid absorbed by the filler, because of its low viscosity, may be squeezed out of the filler and squirted out ofthe mold, and the separation of the liquid from the filler may result in the production of molded articles that are not homogeneous. Moreover, the proportion of filler in such a composition must be relatively high in order that thefiller may absorb all of the liquid containing the remaining ingredients of the composition. I

Ordinarily, it is not desirable that the ingredients other than the filler form a liquid of relatively low viscosity, because it is the low viscosity of such liquid that causes it t o'be squeezed out of the filler during molding so as to produce molded articles that are undesirably non-homogeneous; yet the ingredients of the composition other than the filler must form a liquid of relatively-low viscosity if all of such liquid is to be absorbed by the filler;

Therefore, it is preferable to select a polymerizable unsaturated polyester that is viscous enough, and to keep the proportion of, anyliquid monomeric compound in the composition low enough, so that the ingredients of the composition other than the filler form a liquid of relatively high viscosity. Such a liquid usually is only incompletely absorbedby the filler and tends to coat the filler so as to form a dough or solid mass. In the practice of the invention, such a dough or solid mass must be put into a physical form in which the filler carries the other ingredients in contact with air. A dough may be put into such a physical form by rolling it into a sheet not more than about one-quarter inch thick. The proportion of filler in the composition should be sufiicient to permit the dough to be rolled into a continuous sheet, and the tackiness of the liquid formed by the ingredients other than the filler should be great enough to permit the sheet to be handled without crumbling. The rolling of the dough or putty-like material into a sheet involves the generation of heat by friction, and it is desirable after the sheet is formed to spread it out on a solid surface until it has cooled to the temperature of the atmosphere. The sheet'may then be rolled up or folded up and placed in a container for shipment.

It has been found that when with a viscous liquid containing the remaining ingredients of the composition to form a'dough or putty, which is then rolled into a sheet, and when the resulting sheet is allowed to cool and then is rolled up or folded up and placed into a filler is mixed v a container for shipment, the filler carriesthe remaining ingredients of the composition in contact with air so as to form a stable material. It has been found that the material so prepared remains in sheet form even though thedough or putty from which the sheet material was rolled would have coalesced to a solid mass if the dough or putty had been merely cut into small pieces and placed in the same container. The sheets of the material seem to be self-supporting so that the material does not coalesce into a solid mass. The natural irregularity and roughness of the sheets permit air to" remain between the sheets even when the sheets are in contact with one another. That the sheet form of the material is permanent although small pieces of the same material tend to coalesce into a solid mass is explained by the fact that whether a sheet stands upright in a container or is folded over, the material is supported in sheet form in accordance with the Well-known mechanical principles of the column and the arch. If'the same dough or putty-like material is-cut into small pieces and placed in a container, the full weight of the material in the upper part of the'container is transmitted as a pressure upon the material in the lower part of the container which causes the pieces to coalesce into a solid mass.

Similar results can be obtained by extruding a dough or putty-like material in the form of rods or ribbons having a maximum thickness of about one-quarter inch instead of rolling it into a sheet. After the rods or ribbons have cooled to atmospheric temperature, they can be placed in a container for shipment.

In many cases it is possible to prepare the maingredientsof the composition in contact with air.

i A compos'itionthat-is shipped 'inv the form of small fragments or granulesis .imuch more convenient for use in molding and? zzcommercially more acceptable. zthan anxcompositioni that e is shipped in the form of'sheets; .I'hus-theprferied compositions embodyingthainvention are those that are sufficiently non-tacky sothatthey-may so that it must be stored and shipped in the'form terial in a form that is still more desirable than 1 the sheets, rods or ribbons hereinbefore described. This most desirable form of the material can be obtained by the use of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester that is a liquidof very high viscosity or a liquid that can be caused to undergo substantial crystallization: By mixing the proper proportion of a filler with a liquid polyester of very high viscosity it is possible to prepare a material that when passed between rolls under pressure produces a sheet having a leathery texture, i. e., the feel and general appearance of crude leather. The resulting leathery sheet may be chopped into fragments that do not. coalesce when stored in an ordinary shipping container.

If the fragments of such a leathery material embodying the invention have a maximum diameter not greater than about one-quarter inch, the filler carries the remaining ingredients of the composition in contact with air and the composition remains stable when placed in an ordinary shipping container. I

Apolymerizable unsaturated polyester that tends to crystallize is particularly useful in the practice of the present invention. When a composition embodying the inventioncontaining a polyester that tends to crystallize is prepared, the ingredients of the composition may be mixed while warm and the composition may then be cooled, preferably while in the form of a sheet. As the composition cools, the polyester crystallizes, at least to some extent, and the tackiness of the composition is thereby greatly reduced. The cooled composition, being relatively nontacky, may be cut into small fragments that do not coalesce when placed in a shipping container. If the fragments in the shipping container have a maximum diameter of not more than about one-quarter inch, the filler carries the remaining of sheets to prevent it. from coalescing into a solid mass, the composition'usually. is. softenough so that the sheet itselfmaybe folded up and placed directly in the mold; W 1

h v Stabilizer.

A stabilizer of the invention is an agent which, acting in combination with the oxy'gen or the air, increases the stability at atmospheric tempera tures of a composition comprisinga polymerizable' unsaturated polyester and a catalyst witho'utproportionately decreasing 'the'cu-rability of thecom-' position. The stabilizer in acempo'sition embody ing the invention is a substance ofthe class consisting of l-arylazo-naphthol"sulfonic acids and their alkaline earth" metal-salts; not more than one oxygen atom being conn'cted t'o anynitrogen atom that is connected to'a' nucleusin'such substance V The sulfonic acid radical or radicals, or the 1 alkaline earth metal salts ('i;-e., calcium, strontium and bariam salts, the calcium salt being 'pre-' ferred for economic reasons) of "suchradic'al or radicals may be in any of -'thepositions on the arylazo and on the naphthol nucleus.

The arylazo radical in the molecule of a substance which acts as a stabilizer in the practice of the present invention may be a phenylazo radical or a naphthylazo radicalj'or a nuclearlysubstituted phenylazo or naphthylazo radical. All possible'p'ositions onathe arylazo nucleus and V on the naphthol nucleus thatarernotsulfonated may have other substituenta. which-includei'alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkaryl,"-aralkyl; carbox-y; hydroxy, carbamyl and isonitroso radicals; and halogens having an atomic weight greater than 35 (i. e., chlorine, bromine and iodine) Such nuclear substituents may not be nitro groups or any other groups in which more than one oxygen atom is connected to a nitrogen atom that is connected to a nucleus. The hydroxy radical in the naphthol nucleus may be in any position, for example, the 3-position but it is preferable that it be in the 2-position and that any additional hydroxy radicals be attached to the other aryl nucleus.

An alkyl radical attached to the arylazo nucleus or to the naphthol nucleus may contain from 1 to 18 carbon atoms and maybe a primary, secondary or tertiary radical, (e. g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl,- isobutyl, secondary butyl, tertiary butyl, or any primary, secondary or tertiary alkyl radical having from 5 to 18 carbon atoms). An alkenyl radical attached to a nucleus may be one containing from 2 to 8 carbon r 7 atoms .'.(e.1' g.; :vinyL-br-a propenyl; butenyl, pe'nten yl, hexenyl," heptenyl'brtoctenyl radical); TSuch alkyl andialkenyl radicals, which may be substie tuted-twithchalbgens ghaving an atomic weight is permissible, so that when the aromatic radical attached "to I a nucleus is an alkyl-substituted phenyl radicaLifor example, there can be'any combination offrom one to five alkyl groups each having from 1 to 18 carbonatoms, provided that .the totalnumber-of carbonatoms in-the' alkyl groupsdoes not exceed' -Similar1y, when the aromatic radical is an alkyl-substituted'na'ph--v thyl radical there can be as many as seven alkyl groups. Such aromatic radicals, which may also be substituted with halogens having an atomic weight greater than 35,;amino, formyl and hydroxy groups, include: tolyl, xylyl, ethylphenyl, mesityl, -methylethylphenyls, isobutylphenyl, cumenyl, diethylphenyls, -.tetramethylpheny1, p n emet phe h lam p e i li buty met y phenyls, propyldimethylphenyls, -;propylethylphenyls, hexylphenyl, amylmethylphenyl, I butyl-" ethylphenyl, butyldimethylphenyl, propylethylm thylphe d p opylp e ylr 1m. t p thyl, l-ethylnaphthyl, bromophenyl, obromotolyl, m-bromotolyl, p-bromotolyl, o-chlorotolyl, m-chlorotolyl, dichloroxylyl, beta-hydroxyphenyl,

betahydroxy naphthyl, l-bromo-lisopropylscribed) tfiuch aralkyl radicals include ben'zyl,

phenylethyl,j 'phnylpropyl, "phenylbutyl, naphthylethyl and naphthylmethyl radicalsx- The stabiliz'ers of the 'present invention include:

l-(4-su1fo-naphthylazofi2-naphthol,

s HOaS 1- (l-sulfo-phenylazo) 2-naphthol,

and the di-calcium salt of 1-(4-methyl-2-sulfophenylazo) -2-hydroxy-3.-naphtholic acid,

I Ca' I It is preferred that sulfonic acid radicals and the alkaline earth metalsalts of sulfonic acid radicals be present only in the arylazo nucleus, 1. e., not in the naphthol nucleus but in the other aryl nucleus. It, is most desirable that there be only one sulfonic acid radical .or alkaline earth metal salt of a sulfonic acid radical in the arylazo nucleus as, for example, in l-(4-sulfo-naphthy1- azo) -2-naphthol and in the di-calcium salt of 1- l -methyl-Z-su lfo-phenylazo) 2 hydroxy 3 naphthoic acid. 1

Catalyst A stabilized thermosetting composition of the invention contains a catalyst of the class consisting of organic peroxides and organic ozonides, which is essential for rapid polymerization of the composition at'molding temperatures. Theterm organic peroxides includes compounds having the general formula l. I me or wherein R is alkyl, aralkyl, acyl, or hydroxy-substituted or halo-substituted alkyl, aralkyl or acyl, and Yis hydrogen or is of the same class as R.

Acidic peroxides in which Y and R are acyl or hydroxyor halo-substituted acyl, which may be used as catalysts in the practice of the invention include: bis(benzoyl) peroxide, bis(p-bromobenzoyl) peroxide, bis(phthalyl) peroxide, bis (p-chlorobenzoyl) peroxide, bis(dichlorobenzoyl) peroxide, bis(succinyl) peroxide, acetyl benzoyl peroxide, bis(acetyl) peroxide and bis(chloroacetyl) peroxide.

Peroxy acids in which R is acyl and Y is hydrogen, and peroxy acid esters in Which R is acyl and Y is alkyl or aralkyl, which act as curing catalysts in the present invention, include peracetic acid, perbenzoic acid, t-butyl perbenzoate, and benzyl peracetate. r V r Hydrogen peroxides in which R is alkyl or aralkyl and. Y is hydrogen, which act as curing catalysts in the present invention include t-butyl hydroperoxide.

Organic ozonides which may be used as curing 7 catalysts in the practice of the present invention include diisopropylene ozonide and diisobutylene ozonide.

Mixtures of organic peroxides and organic ozonides may also be used as the curing catalyst. Organic peroxides in which R is benzoyl or halosubstituted benzoyl such as benzoyl peroxide (i. e., bis(benzoyl) peroxide) bis (p-chlorobenzoyl) peroxide, bis(p-bromobenzoyl) peroxide, bis(dichlorobenzoyl) peroxide, and t-butyl perbenzoate, are very eiTective in the production of molded products having good cured quality.

1 1A stabilized thermosetting composition of. the present invention is in a physical form such that air permeates the composition. A stabilized thermqsetting composition of the invention containsa filler which carries the other ingredients in contact with air. ,7 The filler may be an organic filler, (i.- e., a filler from a vegetable or animal source) or an inorganic or mineral filler. Organic fillers which may be used include alpha cellulose, which is the purest and lightest-colored organic material ordinarily, available. Inorganic ;'QI -';miI leI'a1 fillers which may be, used include fibrous fillers such as glass fiber or asbestos, and n:fibr0u fillers suchas roun l s cl y mica-, talcpr calcium silicate.

Polymcrizable unsaturated alkyd resin The choiceot] the filler which carries the other ingredients of a thermosettin'g composition embody'ing the present invention in contact with air varies' with, the properties of the polymerizable unsaturated alkyd] resin (1. el, polymerizable unsaturatedpolyhydric alcohol-polycarboxylic acid polyester), used in the thermosetting composition, 'a'si'well as'with .the specific properties desired in the final producti -Anyx,unsaturated polyester tliat is' polymerizablevinto" an 'infusible resin at ordinary molding temperatures, or any mixture of .suclim'aterials' with eneanpther or with one or more'other materials which may or may not be polymriaable, may be used in the practice of the present'finve'ntion. The polymerizable unsaturated'polyester maybes nmpm liquid of very low viscosity, or a tacky,"viscous'liquid, or may be elf-any consistency dependingup'on the materials used inns, preparation and the'degree to which they are reacted. Y I When thej polymerizablev unsaturated polyester 'is a liquid of verylowyiscosity, it can be'carried .in admixture with a catalyst and a stabilizing I'agent (as hereinbefore defined) on a filler. in conas with fair ,in" the former a damp powder. L'Ifh'at is,,.'..a' highlyf'absorbent filler "may be used can'abso'rb' a large quantity oi the other ingredients without being. dissolved or swelled by ten molecules of the polyester.- v

Itheb'ther ingredientSLjso that the" composition has essentially theform'of the"filler. (Swelling of the filler indicates a tendency for'the filler to be solublein 'the'liquid ingredients, so that, instead of a composition havingiessentially the form 'offthe dry fibrous filler, a dough" or gelatinous 'in'ass is obtained.) j,

the preparation of a. composition embodying the invention having aleathery texture, when the "ingredients other than thefiller form a very 'ta'ck'y liquid, a given amount of a highly absorbent "filler causes" a greater reduction in tackiness "(with subsequent increase in case of granulating) i'thanfan equivalent [amount of a 1 less absorbent "filler. Howevenjalthough an' inorganic or minimalfiller may be less absorbent than an organic 'fill and t r o a be r uir in a higher proportion to obtain thedesired leathery texture, f 'it'still may be preferred Iorthe improved electrical properties that such affillerimparts.

" A polymerizable unsaturated polyester is prepared by reaction of a polyhydric' alcohol with a :p'olybasic acid} It is preferable to employ a dihy- 'dric alcohol and a dibasic acid in order to produce a product in which there is a maximum esterification of the .acidtand alcohol radicals without excessive vis cosity."Qrdinarily it is de- Ts abl that the unsaturatedpolyesterbe polyv1Q merizable into an infusible. orl'high melting .point resin so that the proportion ofunsaturated com:-

ponents should besuch that the polyester contains an average of more than one, double bond per molecule; for. example, there may be an average of eleven or more doublebon'ds in every The polymerizable unsaturated polyester may be produced by reaction of any desired combination of polybasic acid :and'polyhydric alcohol.

For example, an unsaturated dibasic acid such as maleic, fumaric, itaconic, oitraconic or mesacom'c acid may be reacted with a dihydric, alcohol such as any polymethylene glycol in the series from ethylene glycol to decamethylene glycol, propylene glycol, any butylene glycol, any polyethylene glycol in: the series from 'diethylene glycol to nonaethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, any glycerol monobasic acid monoester. (either in the alpha or beta position), such as monoformin or monoacetin, any monoether of glycerol with a monohydric alcohol, such, 'as .monomethylin or monoethylin, or any dihydroxyalkane'in which the alcohol radicals are primary or secondary or both, in the series fromdihydroxy butane to dihydroxy decane. 1 v .7

Each of such unsaturated dibasicacids contains a polymerizably reactive A eenedioyl group, and a polymerizable unsaturated polyester 01' alkyd prepared from any one of suchacids contains a plurality of such polymerizably reactive A i-enedioyl groups. In .other wo'rds, each of the acids contains a polymerizably reactive A% enoyl group, (i. e., a group having the structure an dioyl radicals in Instead of a single polybasic acid, a mixture of polybasic acids may be employed, such as agmixture of an unsaturated dibasic acid with a polybasic acid containing more than two acid radicals, such as oitricacid; A mixture of polyhydric alcohols may be employed, suchas a mixtur of a dihydric alcohol with a polyhydric alcohol containing more than two alcohol'radicals, such as glycerol. I V 1 j In the preparation of the polymerizable unsaturated polyester," any of theusual modifiers such as monobasic acids, monohydric alcohols and natural resin acids may-be added. The larger the proportions of monobasic acids and monohydric alcohols, the loweris the average number of acid and alcohol residues in the resulting polyester molecules, and the lower is the viscosity ofthe polyester." On the other'hand, the

more nearly equal the molecular proportions of 'dibasic acid and dihydric alcohol, the greater is the average number of residues -in the resulting polyester molecules, and the greater is the viscosity. The proportions ofingredients used are those proportions that produce a polymerizable polyester of the desired viscosity. Other prop- .ness' of the product obtained by polymerization of thepolyester may be increased byvarying the 1n1t alreacting ingredients to increase the aver e' the dioyl radicals age. was oftdduble est tes bonds per? molecule. of: the 'polynierizabl poIyesterLJ. j' if? 'Th'e point 110 "which" the reaction of 'the in"- gredients is carried in the preparation of the poly- -merizable polyester is simply that point at which the product has .thedesired properties. The consistency or viscosity of the polyester varies di rectly withthe averagenumber of acid andal cohol residues in the molecule. For example; the average number ofjresidues in the molecule of the polyester may vary from about three to about one hundred twenty. If desired, thereaction may be expedited by .use of an acid'substanc as a catalyst. Any orhigh enough and for a timelong enough to secure the desired consistency. An elevated temperature preferably is employed to expedite thereac- -tion,.bu't during the preparation of the polyester,

the temperature should not beso high nor the .time of reaction 'so longas tocause substantial polymerization. There'is less danger of premature polymerization if' an inhibiting-agent is added before theesterificationis carried out.

. :Whenever. added, an inhibiting agent is used in the proportion required to give the desired degree of inhibiting effect. It may be necessary to use different inhibitors in widely different proportions in order to. secure the same inhibiting effect. 1 i a Any desired inhibit .such as hydroquinone, pyrogallol, tannic tr ns aromatic amine, such as aniline or plienylene diamine may be employedas an inhibitor? 7 The preparation of the unsaturated polyester preferably is carried but m an atmosphere of an inert gas such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or the like, in order to prevent darkening or to make it possible to obtaina pale or-colorless product.

Bubbling the'inert gas through the reacting ingredients is advantageous in that the gas serves the added functions ofagitation and of expediting the removal of water formed by the reaction. Exclusion of oxygen is desirable not only because it causes discoloration, but also because it tends to produce premature polymerization at the elevated temperatures used.

The acid number of the product depends upon the degree of reaction and the proportions of acid and alcohol used for the reaction. With equimolecularproportions of dibasic acid and dihydric alcohol, the reaction may be carried to an acid number of about 20. The use of an acid catalyst may make it possible to attain a lower acid number without substantial polymerization.

A polymerizable polyester maybe prepared by thermometer, a tube leading to a condenser and an inlet tube through which is introduced a moderate stream of carbon dioxide, and is lowered into an oil bath at a temperature of 210 C. During the subsequent reaction the distillate may be analyzed, and a su'fiicient amount of the ingredient lost in excess may be added to the flask I2 from time to time to maintain the initial pro portions of reacting ingredients. If the only addition is-a suflicient 'amount of the ingredient lost inexcess to maintain the initialproportions, the rate of removal ofu'n'reacted ingredients gradually decreases and substantially no unreacted ingredients may bele'ft in the com'position'at the end of the'reaction. After' 8-hours atsuch temperature, a polyester is' obtained in the form of a stiff liquid having an acid numb'er of 18; If ethylene glycol weres'ubstituted for the diethylene glycol in the foregoing procedure it would be diflicult to reducgthdacid number below 40 without causing polymerization, and the product would be a very thick gum} T T 1 Alternatively, this first procedure, as described in the foregoing paragraph', may be employed except that 1.5 insteadoti tmols of maleic anhydride and 1.5 instead of 5.4mols of diethylene glycol are used together'with an amount of hydroquinone equal to .02 percent of the reacting ingredients; and reaction is' continued for' 6 hours; The -resultingf*polyes ter is "a moderately stiif'liquid having anacid number of'll.

A. further procedure that may be used is the same as the first procedure except that'2 instead of 5.4 mols' 'of; maleie'anhydride and 2.1 instead of 5.4 mols of'diethylene' glycol' are. used; and

the reaction is carried'out" for 4 /2 hours to produce a stifiiiquid havingan acid number of 14.

Another type of polymerizable polyester may be-prepared by a procedure that'is the same as the firstiprocedure except that.3instead of 5.4 mols 'ofmaleic anhydride -andff1fi3 instead of 5.4 mols of diethylene "glycol are used together with an amount of hydroquin'onefequal to .09 per cent of the reacting ingredients and an amount of ptoluene sulfonic acid equal to 0.18 per cent of the the ingredientsiare kep'tfin anoil bath, at 220 C.

for 5 /2 hours- The resultingpolyester is a very thick gum having an acidnumber of 53.

A polymerizable polyester may also be prepared by a procedure that isthe sam'e as in'the preceding paragraph except that the maleic anhydride is replaced by5 mols of funiaric acid; the ethylene glycol is replaced by..5 molsiof diethylene glycol; and the reactionQis'eontinued for 8% hours. '.Th'e"resultin'g polyester is astifl liquid having an acid-number'of '23l 'Ir inthe. foregoing procedure thejdithyle'ne glycolwere replaced'by an equimolecular proportion of ethylene glycoland half for the. fumaric-acid .were replaces by e' sil fi pl atPm p e anhydride, the product would .be a hard brittle solid. The substitution offumaric acid for maleic anhydride increases the.length of time. required to reach a given acid number at a given temperature. However, the accelerating efiect of an acid catalyst upon'lthe .e'sterific'ation is. greaterwhen fumar'ic' acid is used; "Whenifumaric, acid is. em-

ployed, other conditions tern-g5 the-same, the resultin polyester tends to belmore viscous and greater care'is necessarylin order to preventpremature polymerization; g 7

As a further variation.th first procedure may be used exceptth'at thamaieic anhydrideisreplaced by 1.5 mols of fuinaric acid; 1.5 instead of by a procedure that is the same as that of the preceding paragraphexcept that p-toluene sulfonic acid (1.5 grams) is added to the initial ingredients; and reaction for only, 2 hours instead of 6 hours is required to produce a stiff liquid having an acid number of 41. I

A procedure that may also be used is the same as that of the next to the last paragraph except that the fumaric acid is replaced by 3.3 mols of maleic anhydride; 3.0 instead of 1.5 mols of diethylene glycol are used; 1.5 grams of p-toluene sulfonic acid and 1.3 grams of hydroquinone are added to the initial ingredients; and the reaction is carried out for 3 hours to produce a limpid liquid having an acid number of 26.

A polymerizable polyester may be preparedby a procedure that is the same as the next to the last paragraph except that 3 instead of 1.5 mols of fumaric acid and 3.3 instead of 1,5 mols of di-' ethylene glycol are used; and the reaction iscarried out for -3 hours at temperatures'ranging an acid number of 12. r A

A further procedure that may be used is the. sameas that of the next tie-the last paragraph except that-the 'hydroquinone is omitted; and reaction for 5 hours is required to producea stiff liquid having an acid number of 28.- r

Another procedure that may be used is the same as the procedure of the next'to the last paragraph except that the weight of p-rtoluene sulfonic acid is equal to 0.18 per cent of the weight of the reacting ingredients; an amount of hydroquinone equal to 0.09 per cent of the reacting ingredients is added at the startofthe reaction; and reactionis carried out at 200 C. for 5 hours to produce a stiff liquid which has an acid number of 10.1. h

Monomers Although a polymerizable. unsaturated polyester.may be used alone as the polymerizable binder in the practice of .the present invention, it is often desirable. to incorporate a polymerizae ble unsaturated monomeric substance along with the polymerizable unsaturated polyester. At molding temperatures themonomer aidsincuring by cross linking straight chain polyester molecules. The combination of the polyester and the monomeric compound usually I polymerizes more rapidly than either of such substances alone. When used in the proper proportions the mono-. mer improves the .Water resistance and insolubil-; ity oi the final product. 7 c, I M:

The use of av substantial proportion of .aliquid monomer may be necessary in preparing a thermosetting composition which is a damp powder from a somewhat tacky polyester. In orderto get the polyester in a form in which it is readily absorbed by the filler so that the composition will have essentially the form of the filler, a sufficient amount of a liquid monomeric substance is incorporated in the polyester to give it a low enough viscosityso that it can be readily. ab--.

sorbed; I,

A polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance used in the practicev of ,the present in'vene tion may be any substance (or mixture'otsuch.

from ZOO-210 C. to produce a stifi liquidhaving polymerizable ethylenic double bond that is capable of copolymerizing with a polymerizable unsaturated polyhydricalcohol-polycarboxylic acid polyester. The polymerizable ethylenic double bond or plurality oi polymerizable ethylenic double bonds may be contained in radicals of unsaturated acids, such as maleic, furmaric, citraconic and mesaconic acids, or in other unsaturated radicals such as vinyl, allyl and crotyl radicals. These unsaturatedradicals may be connected directly to carbonatoms in the molecule, or may be connected to the rest of the molecule by ester, ether or amide linkages.

A polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance whose molecule contains only one polymerizable ethylenic double bond may be a vinyl compound such as styrene, or p-methyl styrene, 2,4-dimethyl styrene, '2,3-dimethyl styrene, 2,5- dimethyl styrene, isopropenyl toluene; vinyl naphthalene, vinyl benzoate, vinyl dibenzofuran or acrylonitrile; or an alkyl ester or the amide of a monobasic acid whose molecule contains one ethylenic double bond or the aldehyde corresponding to such an acid,- such as methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, 'isobutyl methacrylate,

methacrolein, acrolein, acrylamide, methacylamurated monobasic acid,-e'. g.,=a1ly1 lactate or crotyl glycolate.

A polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance whose molecule contains two or more poly merizable ethylenic double bonds may be an ester of a monohydric alcohol whose molecule contains one polymerizablecethylenic double bond with a monobasic acid whose molecule contains one polymerizable ethylenicdouble bond (e. g., allyl acry-' late or allyl methacrylate); or an ester or mixed ester of a molecule of a saturated dihydric alcohol with two molecules of a monobasic acid whose molecule contains one'polymerizable ethylenic double bond (e. g., ethylene dimethacrylate, triethylene dimetha crylate, propylene dimethacrylate, hexamethylene dimethacrylate); or an ester or mixed ester of two alcohol molecules, each consisting of a molecule of allyl, crotyl, alpha-methyl allyl, methallyl, beta-chloro allyl or beta-methyl crotyl alcohol, with a molecule of any of the dibasic acids listed in the Table I below.

BLE

V Met-laconic acid;

' Bromotfumaric acid 1 1 Citraconic acid HO-ei-OH Carbonic acid 11020 0 011 Oxa li cfacid 3- f w a i 7 Benzene: dlcarboxylic' acid m henriimbcxrnc acid Naphthalene dicarboxylic acid V f 'n'o cloaHa)-c on V 'Cyclohex'ane dicarlooxylic acid "iio o-cfi-cnr-oiou Pyrotartaric acid naphthalene ring in parentheses inthe above table is intended to indicate thatany of the variousposition isomers-may be used. In the case of cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, any of the various position isomers may be used either in cis orin trans relationship n g The polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance may also be an ester of a molecule of one of the dibasic acids listed in Table I with'one molecule of a saturated monohyclric alcohol such a me y et opy ,,iso r y i butyl; secondary butylortertiarybutyh alcohol. or Cellosolve. and v one molecule of one of the unsaturated monohydric alcohols hereinbefore described. For example, allyl Cellosolve maleate. is

' useful as a monomer in the present invention.

The polymerizable monomeric compound may also be an ester or mixed ester of a molecule of a tribasic or other polybasic organic or inorganic acid with three or more monohydric alcohol molecules each having a polymerizable ethylenic double bond. vSuch monomeric compounds in: clude triallyl tricarballylate, triallyl aconitate; triallyl citrate, triallyl phosphate, trimethallyl phosphate, triallyl cyanurate, and tetrallyl silicate.

The .polymerizable monomeric compound may also consist of an ester of two substances that will .be described, one of which has a carboxy group andthe other of which has an alcoholic hydroxy group.. The substance having a carboxy group may have the general :formula FOH, in which E" is the? acid radical of acrylic, methacrylic, or alpha-chloracrylic acid, or may have the general formula RO'-D-OII, in which R is methyl, ethyLn-vpropyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, secondary butyl or'tertiary butyl, and D is the divalent acid radical of ariy of the first nine dibasic acids listed in Table I. 'When R in the latter general formula is a1lyl,- crotyl, alpha-methyl allyl; methallyl, beta-chloro allyl or beta-methyl crotyl, D may be the divalent acid radical of any of the dibasic acids listed in Table I.

' The substance having an alcoholic hydroxy group may consist of a compound having the gen- ?ralformula r .7 7 v 4-45- 411 H in'which'Ris the monovalent hydrocarbon radical or monovalent chlorinated hydrocarbon radical of any of the alcohols listed in Table II, below,

orany phenyle'ne radical; The substance havin pound thus has the general formula 1-H V v at alcoholic hydroxy group may also consist of a. compound having the general formula ROD -OE OI I v V v in which D .is the divalent acid radical of any of the dibasic acids listed in Table I, R has the s-a-me slgnificance'as in the preceding general formula and E is the divalent radical to which two hydroxy groups are attached in any of the dihydroxy compounds listed in Table III below.

-- TABLE i1 CHFCH-CH2OH Allyl alcohol CH3-CH=CHCH2OH I Crotyl alcohol CH3 CHFCH-CH-OH Alpha-methyl allyl alcohol CH3 oH,=,o-cH, -o11 N Methallyl alcohol Cl 7, CHpC-{JHr-OH Beta-chloro allyl alcohol CH3 CHaCH=CCH2-OH Beta-methyl crotyl alcohol TABLE III 7 HO-CHa-CH2OH Ethylene glycol on CHs-CHCH2-OH Propylene glycol on L HO-CHz-CHCHz-CH3 1,2-butylene glycol OH OH oH3-c-c om 2,3-butylene glycol HO(-CHz)aOH I Tn-methylene glycol HO(CHz)4-OH Tetra-methylene glycol HO(CHz)sOH Penta-methylene glycol I HO(CH2 fl-OH Hem-methylene glycol HO-(CH2)7OH -Hepta-methylene glycol HO (C-Hz)s-OH beta-methylene glycol ..HQ' HT O H TTQ I y 1: Diethylene glycol H'Q- CHPCHPmEOHQ-OHZ-OH l I Triethylene glycol -Hoon cn ob onfonkofi 5 "Tetraethylene glycol 0-, mor p-Dihydroxy benzene i Such a polymerizable monomeric carbon com- Polymerizable monomeric compounds having the general formula F-O-EO-DO-:R may be prepared by first reacting one molecule of a dihydroxycompound listed in Table III with one molecule .of the monochloride of a half ester of, one of the dibasic acids listed in Table I with one of the alcohols listed in Table II, or in some cases of the'half ester itself. (For example, a molecule of allyl chlorcarbonate, which has been prepared by reacting one molecule of ethyl alcohol with a molecule of phosgene, may be reacted with molecule of diethylene glycol.) One molecule of the resulting product may then be reacted with one molecule of the chloride of acrylic, methacrylic'or alpha-chloracrylic acid or in some cases of the acid itself. V Polymerizable monomeric compounds having the'general formula o R0-D-OB-O:O-R

include the diallyl ester of lacto-carbonate and the .diallyl ester of hydroxy-acetoacarbonate. Other'compounds having this generalformula; as well as polymerizable monomeric compounds having the general formula V g i is V 'r-o-ia-c o-n may be prepared by reacting one molecule of an ester of an alcohol listed in Table II with a monobasic hydroxy-substituted, chloro-substituted or bromo-substituted acid, such as glycolic acid, chloracetic acid, lactic acid, alpha-bromo propionic acid or hydroxy benzoic acid, (e. g.,a1lyllactate or crotyl glycolate) with one molecule of a derivative of acrylic, methacrylic or alphachloracrylic acid or with one molecule of a deriva: tive of a half ester of one of the dibasic acids listed in Table I with one of the alcohols listed in Table II. In the case of the first nine dibasic acids listed in Table I, the half ester may also be a half ester of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl,

butyl alchoI. a

Polymerizable j monomeric compounds having the general formula l I a include: diallyl ethylene glycol dioxalate, diallyl ethylene glycol dicarbonate, diallyl diethyleneglycol'dicarbonate, diallyl trimethylene glycol din-butyl, isobutyl, secondary butyl or tertiary carbonate, diallyl ethylene glycol disuccinate.

diallyl ethylene glycol diadipate, diallyl diethyb ene glycol dimaleate, dimethallyl diethylene glycol dicarbonate, diallyl diethylene glycol dimalonate, 2-( oxycarballyloxy) ethylethyl fumarate and 2-(oxycarbometha1lyloxy) ethyl methyl fumarate.- v

The polymeri'zable monomeric carbon compound may also consist of an ester of a molecule of any of the dibasic acids listed in Table I with two similar molecules (or a mixed ester of a molecule of such adibasic acid with two dissimilar molecules) each ofwhich isan ester of glycolic,

lactic or 0-, m or p-hydroxy .benzoic acid'with place of lactic, glycolic or mor p-hydroxy benzoic acid sathat thegengral formula is then -1rR-OC BNH-DNH B C:O-R

Such monomeric compounds. include; carbonyl bislmethallyl lactate), carbonyl bis(crotonyl' lactatellcarbonyl bis(allyl lactate), maleyl bis(ally1 lactate), iumaryl bis(allyl lactate), succinyl bis ,(allyl la'ct'ate), adipyl bis(allyl lactate), sebacyl bifsfallyl' lactate) flphthalyl bis ally1 lactate), umaryl .bis(allyl glycolate), carbonyl bis(allyl glycolate), carbonyl bis(allyl salicylate) and dxalylbismllyl glycinate).'

"-{Thefpolyme'rizabl'e Imon'omeric carbon compound ma also consist of; an ether of two similar orldi'ssimilafmolecules each consisting'of an ester ofgl'ycolic', lactic -0r"o-, m-' Orb-hydroxy benzoic acid with any of thealcohols listedih Table II. Such" "a polymerizable monomeric carbon Loompound has the general formula I "r T 9T T 7 9: Monomeric compounds having .thi general formulainclude: the. esters ofalcohols listed in Table II with. diglycolic. acid, with diethyl' ether alpha, alpha-dicarboxylic acid, or with any diphenyl ether dicarboxylic acid in which each of the benzene rings has one carboxyl group attached to it. In the preparation of such a compound, an ether of two hydroxy-substituted acid molecules may first be prepared by reacting the sodium derivatives of glycolic, lactic or any hydroXy-benzoic acid with chloracetic oralphachlorpropionic acid in accordance with the usual procedure for preparing ethers. The product may then be esterified with any'of the alcohols listed in" Table-II. If it is desired to prepare a compound of this type whose molecule is an ester of two di-iiferent alcohols, it may be more'convenie'nt to prepare an ester of one of the alcohols listed; in Table II with glycolic, lactic or hydroxybenzoic acid, and then toreact the sodiumderivativef of such ester with the ester of a different alcohollisted in Table II and chloracetic or alphachlorpropionic acid, to form the ether linkage.

The polymerizable monomeric carbon compound may also consist of an ether of amolecule of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,2-butylene glycol, 2,3 -butylene glycol or 0-, mor p-dihydroxy benzene with "twosimilar ordissimilar molecules each consisting of an ester of glycolic; lactic' or 0-, mor p -hydroxy'benzoic acid with any ofgthe ,alcohols listed in Table II'. Such' a polymerizable monomeric carbon compound'has the general formula 7 v c g a /O Rr.O:.C:B O E.-.O'B.IC:O.-R ee e n h r s the. ge e iqrmu a .VO\ W .20..

.' R-o- -cB -0-E-o- -o- -o -R butylene glycol or of a hydroxy benzene with two molecules of an esterof chloracetic acid or alphachloropropionic 'acid' with one of -the alcohols W may bje prepared by reacting onemolecule of a sodium derivative of' ethylene, propyleneor a listed 'in'Tabl'e II,in accordancet with thensual procedure for preparing others. If an unsym- 20;" en maleeu ejef the: seeiumederi t eae product rhen; b ieeetedwit chame eon-1 of a different ester of such an acid As an alternative method, one molecule o f'the dichloro or dibromo compoundcorresponding to; ethylene, propylene: or a butylene glycol' mayzbe .reacted with two molecules ofthe sodium .derivativeuof the; ester ,of glycolic, lactic ;or.--'a hydroxy ibenzoic acid with one of the alcohols listed in Table 'II.

The polymerizable monomeric. compoundmay also consist of an ester-of a molecule of silicic acid with four moleculeslof an .ester of glycolic or lactic acid withanyof the alcohols listed in Table II. Such a polymerizablemonomeric carbon compound has the general formula 0 0 RO O- b b C0-R 7 p R0 C'b "=lb'-OOR in which I) is methylene or methyl methylene and R has the same significanceas before. Such compounds include tetra(a lly1,glycolate) silicate andtetra (allyl lactate) silicate.

Preparat iOn Qf. stabilzfgednomposition In a stabilized thermosetting composition of the present invention the proportion of filler to polymerizable binder (i. e.,.polymerizable unsaturated polyester Or mixturethereoiwith a polymerizable unsaturated monomeric compound or with other substances which mayor may not be polymerizable) varies with the specific characteristics of the binder and filler and'with the desired physical form of the composition,

In general, the proportionof-an organic filler may range from about eotqabout 75 per cent of the thermosetting composition. (As used herein the terms per cent and iparts mean per cent and parts by weight unless otherwise designated.) Usually, it is preferabl'e'thatthe proportion of an organic filler be within'a range of about 50 to 65 per cent of the com-position, and it is most desirable that it be-about 60 per cent of the composition. The ..proportion,of-.an .inorganic filler may range from about 40 to-about per cent of the in eempesitie hleu i i usually preferable that it be within ,a range of about 60 to '70 per cent of themco'mposition. However, these ranges vary withthe specific'characteristics f the lymeri zablelbinde in the composition and with the form' inwhich'the' binder (along with the catalyst and stabilizeris carried on the filler in contact with air);

For example, when a stabilized thermosetting composition of the invention is prepared using a relatively hard polymerizable. binder, the proportion of filler may ,be relatiyely low. However, even such a binder is notentirelycrystalline and still contains some ,tackyliquid so that a filler is necessary in order t carry it in contact with air. Grinding of a filler impregnated with such a binder, to produceparticle's-in which the binder is carried in contact with' air, is possible even when fr ab ut, 20.. to about :30 .neri entef th polymerizable inder cons sts .e -e po ymerizable monomeric substance. The proportion of filler may be as large as itsis possible to employ while still permitting thematerial-to be held together by the binder in the form of a'coherent finished article. The maximum proportion of filler that can be employed depends.upontheebsorbency of 21 the filler, because an absorbent filler reduces the apparent proportion of binder by absorbing more of. the binder.

In-the preparation of a composition having the form of a dough or putty which can be rolled into sheets or'extruded in rods or ribbons which are soft enough tobe placed directly in the mold, the proportion of filler to prepare a dough of a given consistency varies with the absorbency of the filler and with the tackiness of the binder.

When it is desired to prepare a powdery thermosetting composition having essentially the form of the finely divided filler, an absorbent filleris added to'a liquid binder of sufiiciently low viscosity so that the filler can absorb a large amount of the binder. It is evident that a much lower proportion of a highly absorbent filler would be required to absorb the binder than would be required with a less absorbent filler.

too large a proportion of filler is used with a tacky, viscous binder the binder will not coat the .filler so as to form a dough or solid mass whichcan be rolled into sheets, but instead there will be formed a damp powder whichis essentially a mixture of impregnated filler with unimpregnated filler. Such a composition may still be useful. for at molding temperatures the viscosity Of the resin is decreased so that the resin may then flow and uniformly impregnate the filler.

When a composition is desired that will form sheets having a leathery texture which can be easily chopped into particles, the proportion of filler required to impart a leathery texture varies with the tackiness of the binder and with the absorbency of the filler, as well as with the specific leathery texture desired. That is, the proportion may range from the minimum amount of filler required to reduce the tackiness of the material to such an extent that fine particles thereof will.

not coalesce, to the maximum amount of filler that may be used without converting th material to a non-cohesive mass containing such a small amount of the polymerizable binder that it does not function as a binder (i. e., that it will not hold the material together to form. a coherent finished article). Thus it is apparent that the amount of filler which may be used may be predetermined readily by experiment and that the specific leathery texture which it is desired to impart to the material may beobtained by the use of a predetermined amount of filler 'or simply by'admixture of the filler during a milling ,operation .until' the desired leathery texture of the material is obtained. I

a A typical unsaturated polyester which may be used as a polymerixable binder the practice.

ofthe invention" isflone'prepared by the reaction 01 0.2 mol of phthalic anhydride and 0.8 mol of maleic anhydride with l.05"mols of ethylene glycol according to the procedure described hereinb'efore fTheamountfiof filler required/to part a leathery texture" to' such a polyester-de the-presence of-other ingredients admixed with the polyester. v

'For example, iface11ulose-filler (e. g.. alpha:

cellulose) is used, it can be used in-amounts' ranging from. about 40 to about per cent of the polyester in. order toobtain a leathery ma-- terial. If about one-fifth of thepolyester is replaced by a polymerizable liquid .monomer (e. g.,

22 ester-monomer composition. Thus, it can be seen-that addition of a monomer to the polyester, which reduces the viscosity of the polyester, makes it necessary to add a substantially greater amount of filler to obtain a leathery material.

By comparison, if amineral fiber filler (e.g.,'

asbestos), is used in the practice of the invention, .it can be used in 'amounts ranging from about 50 to about 70 per cent of the polyester in order to obtain a leathery material. If about one-fifth of the polyester is replaced by the polymerizable liquid monomer, the amount or mineral fiber filler required to obtain a leathery material ranges from about 65 to about per cent of the polyester-monomer composition. Thus it can be seen that a mineral fiber filler, which is much less absorbent than a cellulose" filler,

must be used in a greater amountthan a cellu-':.

lose filler in order to obtain a leathery material. The behavior of non-fibrous mineral fillers such as clay, mica, talc and calciumsilicate' is difi'erent from the behaviorof a cellulose-filler or-a mineral fiber filler. For example, if a nonfibrous'mineral filler is used in the practice of the invention, it is used in amounts ranging from about 60 to about 80 per cent of the polyester in order to obtain a leathery material. If about one-fifth of the polyester is replaced by the polymerizable liquid monomer. the amount of nonfibrous mineral filler requiredto obtain a leathery material ranges from about '70 to about per cent of the polyester-monomer composition.

Ordinarily in the preparation of a material having a leathery texture the polyester used is non-crystalline. However, the polyester used need only be non-crystalline while a leathery texture is being imparted to the material. If

the polyester is of a type that does undergo.

crystallization, it may be used to produce a leathery sheet at any time before appreciable.

duce fully cured molded articles heretofore has.

had the-effect of promoting polymerization at atmospheric'temperatures to such an extent that after storage for short'periods the composition becomes a substantially infusible, worthless mass that cannot be formed into'any useful product.

Even during shipment such a thermosettingcomposition may become at least partially set up sothat it is contaminated with hard spots of polymerized material. A few hard stones or precured granules may damage an expensive mold, and also may cause defective spots in. pieces molded from such material which are readily apparent even to an inexperienced observer. Such vspots make a molded piece unsatisfactor for commercial use. l v The use of a smaller amount of curing catalyst than is normally required for complete cure at molding temperatures may be effective in preventin .polymerizationgof the composition toan However, a curing catalyst incor- \mrthless.:;unpolymerizablei mass. The additionoijan :Zfinhihitor. in .place of omission of pa'rt of the zmtallyst; Lhasmthe .same I undesirable effectwhe 'gan ordinary inhibitor-is used inanemount sizfiicientxto prevent ..polymerization .-.o'f. the com nosilzian iat atmospherietemperatures :to -an'infuiblc -:';Wo.rthless mass, Athe. inhibiting action remains zin'ieiiect;tduring iabrication go'f articles filQlIIFIhGiCOIIIHQSitiOILfihd interferesawi-th poly merization during fabrication; sduringtstorage I of thej-eompositioniover a periodof time :the :inhi-bn; toxinriefiectwziuses .uptizthe catalyst so that theqomnosition aae entually ii-becomes Mia worthless unmlymerizableffmass. '1.

afiithermc lsetting composition: embodyi'ngthe invention: having :inco'r'porated therein a curing catalystzisifstablefi at atmospheric temperatures hecausejt'nontainsia stabilizer (as 'hereir ibefore definedrfind; because 1 a filler carries the other ingredients .(the tpolymeri'zable hinder,- the catalystzandcthe stabilizer) in contact-with air. A thermosetting'composition embodying the inventionziis aistalile :during. storageunder ordinary conditionszfor agivenperiodin that it meets both of the ifollowing'conditionsduring that period: (l )'.-the compositionneitheripolymerizestoa hard unusablemassnor are there developed apprecia ble dumps or 'ihard centers w-hich will produce defective spotsin pieces moldedfrom'such material andzt2 ithe .compositionretains its plasticity curabi litysso that it canbe molded into pieces havingacure'dquality thatis unimpaired bysuchstora'ge (i.i e.,- the composition cures completely atmoldin'gtemperatures awer-y short time t'o' hardpiecesathat are resistant towater an'qto deterioratiom and cracking'irom heat,- etc);

-A:'.composition embodying the invention is stable for over two months. This means that when the :material has been stored at atmospheric temperatures; for twomonths it is soft and free from" ha'rd centers or precured granules that d'a'mage' the mold and-can be molded into pieces having.a curedquality that is unimpaired by such storage. During; storage after two months hard lumps o materiatmay startto'form and/or the ourabi-lityofthe material may start todecrease, but the materialmay still bequite satisfactory for=:commercial useforthree months of storage. After th'reemonths ofstorage the material may not be s't'able; i.-e., hard centers or precured granulesimay developsufijciently to cause defectivespo'tsin amolded-piece that make the piece unsatisfiaictory for' commercial use, and/or the curabil'ity of' the mater-ial may "decrease to such an extent; that' 'the; cured quality of the molded I material is nbt goodenough for it to be considered eommercially useful. Y

.Azthermosetting composition embodying the inventionilrarely: polymerizes during storage at atmospheric: temperatures to a. hard worthless mass. .:-?Instead.it may become unstable because theacurability. of thermaterial decreases. When the stability fails after a long period of storage by'zreasonziof..lossxofcurability, such loss of curahilityz-may'befdue to the'factthat the catalyst stazrztsv to decompose-after. such a period, so that the: material; notl'cure properly because the i pnenc temperatures awoulat-faili by =reason of zless ofzcurabilit'y.iaftertacshortersperiodibecause the catal-ystiproportion.isiless to start with. I I I 2 Theapropo-rtion nf lcuring catalyst in'; the

practice iifitltie invention is simply the-proportion thahcauses theicompositionto polymerize 'at' the clemedmatexand, nswthe iterm :cata1yst implies, such proportion is th'e' usu'al eatalytic amou'nt,

ii;e.,.man'gtngsfromiabout ofl1 p'ercent to aboufifi I16 ic'e'ntl'ioi the polymerizable hinder. -I-t' is dr di mar-14 3f notzdesirable touse a eoncejritration "of" catalyst lercgeirsthan ab'out 5per cent-of thelpoly-i mer-izable :binder 'i-n-an attempt to increase'th'etmmtomamin t n 'exee'sso'f curing catalys topolymerizeliat.atmospherieI-temperatures;--so that uniessithe amount;of -stabilizenusedina thermosetting; composition embodying'the invention to prevent curing of the composition atatmospherie temperatures is aISO increased, the stability-of the compesifio'n will be reduced. Furthermore; it-is wasteful to use a large excess of curing catalyst because'ithe rateofldecomposition of the catalyst appears touincrease with its concentration; so thatmhezgreaterithe amount :of catalyst-the more rapidly itfap'pears to' he lost during-storage;

The preferred proportion of euri'ng catalystvaries with difierent catalysts, and theamount of-a: specific curing catalyst required to produce azigivem rate of hardening may wary also with variations the nature of the polymerizable composition. Benz'oy1 peroxide,-- which I is preferred in the-practiceef the presentinvention,-

isxdesirablytused in-a' concentration ranging from about 1 to fabout' 3per-eentof "-thepolymeriz'able binder. a

1- Theproportion I composition-embodying the -inventi'on-=-mustbe largeenougEte'makethe composition sufficiently stable: at atmospheric temperatures; to -be "commercially usefulg-but-mustnot be-so-largejthatan inhibiting efieet is produced at molding tem -f Z perat'ures That is rwhen too-large an 3111411111??? stabilizer 'is- -'-present,-polymerizationof the com-jv position is retarded at atmospher c; temp raturesg-but there isa'proportionatedecreaseinthe j curability at molding temperatures. "The'e'ffect" nt but d-b o ys m hmh is sen a to obtain any-stabilization-in the practice of the'pre's;

chef-invention; disappears when" theimateriall is heated-'-during fabrication'to th'e'tGmPE fQEWIQ'S Tat l.1t,l.. 3flflt eereesF'-. 'z'similar y',iatm n tem e tures the efiejct pithfe 'staliilizerjs .overcomep 1" videdjifthere notltooimmh stabilizer present Ap a e l at jo mtemp 'ta ui he tabil er F either "prevents the formation of free.

i lrpzat qn usually-came Wh Q ig ti i iate-pqlrmerbnti neor: prevent... 1 .s

edi e item se tita ne the: unsaturat d w At hightemperatures;therstabilizer 15 llflq ifilfiebtive againstzthe freeradicalspso that hii tja:thermosettingcomposition may be stable at;atmosphericztemperaturesitsu'fiers no loss ofnurabiiityiat moldingtemperatures. Howeyen whenrtoqrmuciustabmzer is resent it may'be'f suificiently activeatmoldingtempratures to dc;

oncentrationgwhich varies fer 6f "stabilizer inathermosetting stroy too many free radicals, so that the curability is reduced. d

The proportion of stabilizer in a thermosetting composition embodying the invention may vary in accordance with the stability required of the composition. Ordinarily the proportion of stabilizer is such as to permit the composition to remain "stable (as hereinbefore defined) at atmospheric temperatures for approximately two months or more. Thermosetting compositions which are stable for periods shorter than two months are not considered to be commercially useful. Thus, the maximum proportion of stabilizer in a thermosetting composition is that which is so large as to affect seriously the cured quality of the composition after two months storage at atmospheric temperatures, so that the composition is not stable (as hereinbefore defined) after two months. The minimum proportion of stabilizer is that which is so small as tobe ineffective in retarding the polymerization of the composition after two monthsstorage at atmospherictemperatures without a proportionate decrease in curability, so that the compositionis not stable after two months. In general, the proportion of stabilizer in a composition embodying the invention may be as large as per cent of the polymerizable. binder or as small as 0.8 per cent of the polymerizable binder, but the proportion of stabilizer that may be used in the practice of the present invention differs with specific stabilizers as well as with the properties of the polymerizable binder and with the proportion and efficiency of the catalyst. For example, the proportion of 1-(4-sulfo-naphthylazo) -2-naphthol used in the practice of the present invention is not less than approximately .8 per cent of the polymerizable binder, and preferably is not less than about 1 per cent of the olymerizable binder. The proportion of this stabilizer used is not more than approximately 1.5 per cent of the polymerizable binder and preferably is not more than about 1.3 per cent of the polymerizablebinder. When the di-calcium salt of 1-(4-methyl-2-sulfophenylazo) -2-hydroxy-3- naphthoic acid is'used as the stabilizer, it may be used in pro ortions ranging from a minimumpf 1 to a maximum of 5 per cent of the olymerizable binder,-but preferably is within the ran e 1.5 to'3 per cent of the polymerizable binder; However, these ranges only indicate the practical proportions of such stabilizersthat maybeused to pre area st bilized thermosetting composition embodying the inverttionco taining the amount of c rin catalvst ordinarily used and containing a polyester having ordinary properties. For exam le, although the minimum proportion of a specific stabilizer ordinarily'gives acomposition having a stability of at least two months, with a lar e amount of catalyst the stabilizer might have to be used in a larger proportion to produce the same stability; on the other hand, when the polymerizable binder has relatively less tendency to polymerize at atmospheric temperatures, the same proportion of the stabilizer might produce a stability of longer than two months;

The stabilizing effect produced by a'specific stabilizer differs'with various polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substances, as hereinbefore described, that may be present in the polymerizable binder. -At molding-temperatures such a monomeric substance often seems to aid in overcoming the stabilitytoward polymerization produced by the stabilizer at atmospheric temperatures. The stabilizer neutralizes Q1" imm bilize free radicals at atmospheric temperatures but is ineffective against the free radicals at molding temperatures, so that it does not decrease the curability of the composition at molding tem-v peratures. The monomeric substance copoly-.- merizes with the unsaturated polyester through ethylenic double bonds by means of chain reactions initiated by the free radicals so that at I molding temperatures the monomeric substance aids in curing the composition.

The proportion of monomeric substance in the polymerizable binder that may be used in a thermosetting composition of the invention varies in accordance with the physical form of the composition as well as withthe proportion and effectiveness of the stabilizer employed. In general; when less than 2 per cent of the polymerizable binder consists of a polymerizable monomeric substance, the monomer may be inefiectivein helping'to cross-link the straight chain' polyester molecules at molding temperatures. Thus, it is desirable that the monomer comprise at least 2 per cent of the polymerizable binder, and the proportion of monomer may be as high as 98 per cent of the polymerizable binder. In preparing a composition which has essentially the original form of the filler by impregnating an absorbent filler with a very limpid resin, it is neces-- sary that at least 20 per cent of the polymerizable binder be a liquid monomer in order that the binder may have sufficiently low viscosity so that it can be absorbed readily by the filler, and it is usually preferable that at least 40 to 50 per cent of the binder consist of a polymerizable unsaturated monomeric substance. A granular thermosetting composition which contains a polymerizable binder that consists of approximately 10 to 30 per cent of a polymerizable monomeric come pound and about '70 to 90 per cent of a polymerizable polyester produces a final polymerized product that has excellent water resistance and insolubility due to the presence of the monomeric compound.

In order to compare the effectiveness of various stabilizers which may be used in the preparation of a stabilized thermosetting composition embodying the invention, sheets of a putty-like ma--" terial containing one of the stabilizers described hereinbefore are prepared and tested for-stability as follows: (The stabilizers employed are listed in the first column of Table IV, and the second column of Table IV indicates the amount used which is approximately the optimum proportion for such a composition.)

A polymerizable binder, consistingof 23.6 parts of a polymerizable "unsaturated polyester (prepared byest'e'rifying 12.5 mol per cent of propylen'e glycol and 87.5 mol per cent of ethylene glycol with 20 mol per cent of phthalic anhydride and, mol per cent of maleic anhydride by the procedure hereinbefore described to an acid number of 35) and 9.2 parts of a polymerizable unsaturated liquid monomer (diallyl phthalate), is mixed in a Banbury mixer with 1.3 parts of Luperco ATC catalyst (a paste consisting of 50 per cent benzoyl peroxide and 5.0 per cent tricre'sylphosphate), 2 parts of a lubricant (zinc stearate), a filler consisting of 48 parts of clay and 20 parts of asbestos, and a stabilizer. The mixing is continued until a soft, homogeneous dough is obtained. The material is then passed through warm rubber rolls to form sheets of. a thickness of approximately A; inch. The sheets are cooled and stored in closed containers at 27 midityzto'detenmi-ne thei-lengthiof time for; which theidoughsmaysbe: stored beforait'. canno -longer be cons-idered stable ti; e], tozdetemnine the moldiable: life-of the materi'allt (Such! conditions; are more extremist-than rtheaconditionsito whicln the near would; ordinariiy subject" the materials. At room temperature-the stability-is; OfICOUISQzIIIHCh betterz) Theeuse of i'a-douglnin rnrololablei 1 life tests. is particularly advantageous";:sinceabyi'.simply'feele ing theesheete'd materiali-it. is p'ossiblea tcx obtain agclear indication offthe'i size; amount: and than acter of any: lumps aior hardi centers? which:.de:-' velop duringstoragez- I Atintervalsrduring storage; inaddition to fee1ing= sheets :of the material, :same. pies: ofithe puttYJ-like sheets are; tested-for cured qualityby; molding:v the samples in a small .tum'-' blenrmold ateordinar yipressures (839,10009'2100 pound'sflpeusquazreeinchvof 'projected-area): The smallitumbler sol molded weighs-abuut :13? grams and 1 /2 inches highy havinga-a: top diameter ofilii amches and a bottomzdiameterof l fg inches Titer-results: of the -tests are iShOWH-HT-the third colummofiTa'ble l The-figures represent the number of months for which the? dough: contain? ing aastabilizer indicated -in thafirstmolumnzin ans amount indicated in the: second column is stables as herei'nbefore defined; f For the-sake'mf comparison,- sheetsof theisame dough? which: contain no stabilizer are also pree pared iand tested by the procedure. described hereinbeforer Tliis-materia1 is =the control:v -indi= catedi'in. Table -IV From -the results showni in it: is readily apparent: thatthermosete ting; compositions -emb'odying: the inventiomare stable'i ior mucli= longer periods: at atmospheric temperatures 'tlian are compositions Whichare the asame' exceptr that theydo not contain one of the stabi1izers= usedfi1rthepractiize-oi theipresent 11w cations;

TABIJEHV? Amcunt' -M'onths' Stabihzera (parts)i Stable 1-.(4ssulf0;naphthylazo) -2-nephtho1; ,l l .4-

overz2 the dicalcium salt of l-(4-methyl-2rsulfo-phen YIBZO)-2-hydI'OXY3-118Phth0i088id .8 over 2 (Gontrolh; an... 1

Inithepreparationnfa;th'ermosetting-composbti'orr embodying ,the invention 1the'- pplymerizable mi dew-"catalyst; stabilizer: and filler are? mixed in the proper proportions to: obtain a homogeneous composition having the?desiredconsistency;

it e:, a'softdough; oramaterialhaving a-leathery texture etc: Mixingof. ,a1filler with'the other ingredientsmay be carried out in any suitable mixingtor kneading: apparatus; e.- g; byfusinga commercial mixer or by j milling the filler into the. material' on w rubber mill. TII'QPIOCBSS of milling *the filler into the material is particularly adaptable to the preparation of a material having =a-leathery texture because the change irr-the material from atacky to anon-tacky,- leathery texture can -bedetected -veryreadily during the invention comprises aviscous polymeri'zablasube stance and eclesszviscousipolymerizablef substance, thetp'olymeizization-zcatalysti maysb-e rdissolvedz-in the lessuvis'cousiapolymerizablevsubstance:before thetwo: substances are mixed l" A1S0; tfi"pD1ymerizatiomcatal-yst ma .besdispersedeinlthei filler, asabyxgrinding. withlthe:filleirinzaballmill; before the fillerzisrmixed withwthe'ebinder: Avfibrous fillerimayz-be impregnatedl'with: QZ SOllltiOfi; ima volatilei'. solvent; .of;.itli'e::- polymerizatio andi dried: beicnre's-theifilleiris n1ixed...w=itli1:the

bindery;

The .stabilizenaordinarily mayibeiaddedl' toirtiie poilymerizableebindeifiaftem the: additio'm-"ofi the cata1yst-.:1..I:"there is 'a tendeneyfiorathe mateirialztcr polymerize at mixing'ztemperatures when the catalysaisaaddadsthestabilizerrmayibe added before 3 catalyst zen-with:- thea. catalyst; For exampleewhenlaa binder: containiiigfaai hardlpolw estemismsed.itmust'zbezwarmediin:orderitorreduce its-:viscosity whenzitr: is:mixedc-withi-theifilleri:- A composition; containing? arhard? po1yester -is=';very desirable;-.fon:upom cooling the 'polyesteir crystallizeszandithematerialism be cut' into small frag-e merits:which-rare:relativelyrnomtackyan idblinct coalesceWhenplac'edun"aashi ipinacozitainer. An excel-lent:- method for coolingtsuch" a: composition is toarnll-fitiinto: thin sheetsi Howeverpiinorder to obtain-a compositioniwhichiis sofit 'andfiplastic enough;- tbbe rolledi int'oizth'in i sheets the: binder comprisingrthei relatively-hard polyester *mustrbe heatect-v Ordinarilyunting?lieatingkthe composi tionxcontaining'rax polymerization:catalyst might polymerize: Howevemimthe ractiee-ortheipres ent inventiontth'estabili'ze that iS a-dd'eo'i (befoi-e adding-"the1.:catalyst :or the: catalysti finiations toz prev'ent polymerization .diiririg'mixingi as wellzi'a's during. storage rat atmospheric: tempera ture; of: a' -thermosetti'zrgccompcsitioncontaining ancilymerizableiacatalyste Th '-mOSt convei'iienl'fform for liandlifig the mat'erial that is taken fiom the rolls is ih"fi1' form -ofthin sheets: the material is warm, rolling into thin slieeta'aids in rapid cooling; She'ets which contain a hard polyester which crystallizes as the: sheets are cooled as :well' as sheets of material having. a1 leatheryitexture are too stiflft'o be used. moldsi-in' sheetlfoim and are *tfielfble" divided into smallfragments before'st'oringiii a' shipping container-e The*fra'g+ ments when taken from-'athe== container-are=-all readyfar molding-9* A'n essential requirement of a stabilized ther mQsettiii'g composition 'of the invention is- 'th'at itlbe in a form'" su clithat-" the filler carries the other ingredients in" contact with *air: 1 A inaterial that-"ishard enough" to be chopped? into fragments is particularly" desirable; for air "is readiljr' difii'ised throughout a material cutinto fragments: The-maximum diameter 'of'ea'ch par ticlershould bet-no "greater I than about one-'quai ter of' an inch,"and' it is desirable thattli'e-maximum diameter be one-sixteenth to one eiglith of an inchr 'I'Iie material is mil 10 641 b'y subj ecting it to a cutting action, as distinguishedfrom a-crusliing or grindingiaction': The-mincingfmay be eficted by any of-"the well k' 'nown industrial devices for reducingmaterial to {particulate form by cutting action: Although" one 'Ofth. simplest methods'ofmincing the m'aterial involves pressing; the, material? through iawfiiie-vmesh'f screen, it is preferable-- from'an industrial point of *view to employ jdevicesrcapable of:.;eifectingz'- a high speed cutting action.- Itbeen 'foundthat when the material is subjected to a high speed cutting action (either by causing rapidly moving blades to strike the material or by causing the material to be thrown at a high speed against stationary blades) the benefit of impact as well as shearing force is obtained and division of the material into fine particles is accomplished in a very satisfactory manner. Industrial devices which employ a high speed cutting action (and which are preferred therefore) include the Abbe cutter, the Wiley mill and the Fitzpatrick comminuting machine.

Immediately after material having a leathery texture is granulated it may be hot from the mincing operation and may, therefore, be more doughy than leathery. Before it isplaced in a shipping container it should be cooled, e. g., by passing the particles along on a conveyor belt to restore the non-tacky texture before the fragments are placed in the container.

A dough or putty-like composition formed from a rather viscous tacky binder which is incompletely absorbed by the filler and which tends to coat the filler, unlike the stifi sheets of a leathery material, or a material formed from a relatively hard polyester which tends to crystallize, can be rolled into sheets which are soft and plastic and may be shipped and used in molds without granulating.

The sheets are permitted to cool before being rolled up or folded up and placed in the container. Usually the sheets'should not be thicker than one-quarter inch. Although the sheet may be as thin as 0.005 inch to 0.0010 inch, such extremely thin sheets ordinarily are not rigid enough to be self supporting so that air can remain between the sheets, and when'packed together in a shipping container tend to coalesce. Itis usually desirable that the sheets have a thicknessof about one-sixteenth to three-sixteenths inch. When a dough or putty-like'material is extruded into rods or ribbons instead of rolling it into a sheet, the particles 'in the center of such rods or ribbons are a shorter distance from all parts exposed to air than particles in the center of a sheet. It is usually desirable that the maximumthickness of the rods or ribbons be not greater than about one-quarter inch.

A composition comprising a polymerizable much closer to their decomposition temperatures in order to cause hardening to take place even at moderate speed. When an attempt'is made to harden such other products rapidly by raising the hardening temperature,. disclororation or burning is likely to result. I

A polymerizable polyester may be fabricated in an injection molding machine. 'A supply of the polyester containing the curing catalyst may be held in the supply cylinder, of the machine at a temperature at which the composition is highly plastic but hardens very slowly, and the mold may be held at a temperature at which the composition hardens rapidly. Under such conditions the mold maybe filled rapidly from the supply cylinder by injection of the composition under pressure. The composition may harden so rapidly at the temperature of the mold that the finished hardened piece may be removed almost immediately after the mold has been filled. Thus very rapid automatic operation of} the machine is possible. The main difference between such an operation andthe ordinary operation of injection molding a thermoplastic material is that-in the injection molding of the.

' polymerizable polyester the mold is at a higher polyester is highly advantageous for the molding of articles under pressure. Since a polymerizable polyester is fusible and plastic at a relatively low temperature, it is possible to adjust the amounts of catalyst and stabilizer so that hardening at such a temperature takes place at a reasonable rate to allow ample opportunity for shaping and molding of the composition. Shaping and molding may be completed at such a temperature, and the shaped compositionmay then be held at the same temperature while slow hardening takes place, or may be heated to a higher temperature to cause quick hardening. These properties are in contrast to those of urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde and phenolformaldehyde resins, which are plastic only at elevated temperatures at which they harden so rapidly that hardening interferes with shaping.

Hardening of a polymerizable polyester can be carried out at a temperature that is far below the decomposition temperature of the polyester and thus at a temperature at which discoloration does not take place. Other heat hardenable products, such as urea-, melamineor phenol-formaldehyde products, must be heated temperature than the supply cylinder, whereas, in injection molding of a thermoplastic material the mold is at a lower temperature than the supply cylinder.

Thus a polymerizable polyester can be molded as economically as a thermoplastic material. The molding of other heathardenable products is a much slower and more expensivev operation than the melding of a thermoplastic material.

Care should be taken that any material incorporated in a composition embodying themvention does not tend to cause the composition to set up duringits preparation or during storage (e. g., carbon black is undesirable for this reason) Inthe preparation of a molding composition, plas ticizers; lubricants, fillers, pigments and other coloring matter may be incorporated if desired.

The following examples illustrate the prepara-v tion of a stabilized thermosetting. composition carried on a filler incontact with air.

Example 1 A polymerizable binder, consisting of 58 parts of a polymerizable unsaturated polyester that is hard at ordinary temperatures (prepared by esterifying equivalent proportions of ethylene glycol and maleic anhydride by the procedure described hereinbefore to an acid number of 35) and 10.25 parts of a polymerizable unsaturated liquid monomer (diallyl phthalate) is mixed in a Banbury mixer with 1.4 parts of a catalyst (benzoyl peroxide), a stabilizer (0.8 part of 1-(4- sulfo-naphthalazo)--naphthol), 4 parts of a lubricant (zinc stearate) and a filler consisting of 63 parts of clay and 62 parts of asbestos. The mixing is continued until a homogeneous dough is obtained. The material is then passed through warm rubber rolls to form sheets which are allowed to cool and crystallize. The crystallized sheets are then chopped in a Fitzpatrick comminuting machine to obtain finely divided particles having a maximum diameter of A. inch. The product of the present example remains stable for over 5 months at atmospheric temperatures. A granular composition prepared by a procedure that is the same except that no stabilizer is added remains stable for only 2 to 3 months at atmospheric temperatures. 

1. A STABILIZED THERMOSETTING COMPOSITION, COMPRISING (1) A POLYMERIZABLE UNSATURATED ALKYD RESIN WHOSE MOLECULE CONTAINS A PLURALITY OF POLYMERIZABLY REACTIVE $2,3-ENEDIOYL GROUPS; (2) A CATALYST OF THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ORGANIC PEROXIDES AND ORGANIC OZONIDES; AND, (3) AS AN AGENT FOR INCREASING THE STABILITY OF THE COMPOSITION AT ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURES WITHOUT PROPORTIONATELY DECREASING THE CURABILITY OF THE COMPOSITION, A SUBSTANCE OF THE CLASS CONSISTING OF 1-ARYLAZO-NAPHTHOL SULFONIC ACIDS AND THEIR ALKALINE EARTH METAL SALTS, NOT MORE THAN ONE OXYGEN ATOM BEING CONNECTED TO ANY NITROGEN ATOM THAT IS CONNECTED TO A NUCLEUS IN SUCH SUBSTANCE, AND ANY HALO SUBSTITUENT IN SUCH SUBSTANCE HAVING AN ATOMIC WEIGHT GREATER THAN 35; CARRIED ON A FILLER IN CONTACT WITH AIR. 